First Day Transfer Student (First Years of Class 1-A Please)

Gabby watched the new girl as she introduced herself to the class and immediately took her seat right in the front. At least the Vera had the good sense to not call too much attention to herself. She felt bad for her though. Gabby didn’t have to do the stand-of-shame, but poor Vera did. It was enough to make her laugh at the uncomfortable situation. At least she had learned something about the girl. Namely, that she wasn’t from Japan. It was a small world after all, even smaller if she was from Fiji. She doubted that possibility however, since she was missing the distinctive tan that being in the sun all day gave you. In fact, she was pretty pale. She probably didn’t get a lot of sun in extended amounts of time. Gabby always chose to sit in the back row’s corner, so her view of the new girl was not perfect, but she still gave her a once over. Her crossed legs meant that she was at least a little confident, and sitting in the front row meant she was either a bookworm or shy. As for her look, you could find her a mile away, but her attitude screamed that she didn’t want to be seen. Then there were the lines on her face. She either didn’t have an entirely good outlook on life, or she was a complete pessimist. She couldn’t pick one. That was what Gabby could see on the outside, however. Anything else about this girl was not as easily deduced. If she wanted to know more, she would have to talk to Vera. Maybe after class. Maybe.

She waited for the teacher’s lecture to finish, so the break would start. Of course it meant people would get loud and start talking, but it was the first opportunity she would get to talk to the new girl. Gabby was not the most social person in the world, however, but for someone as new to Kizuna Academy as she was, she could learn to make an exception. Exceptions didn’t come easy though. Gabby wasn’t much of a talker, and from what she’d seen so far, neither was Vera. The best she could hope for at this rate was to subtly approach Vera and hope one of them became uncomfortable enough to say something to the other. With her cause of action decided, Gabby slowly approached the front of the room and made her way to Vera’s desk. The front of the room was something awful. Everybody could see you if they wanted and you were the first thing the teacher ever saw. How could anyone ever stand it up here? She’d take her back corner any day. It may have been in a spot for less that optimal learning conditions, but it was at least better than being the very center of everyone’s sights. Her pity for Vera’s situation only grew worse. Then, she retracted the thought. For all she knew, Vera could like that sort of situation. But, judging by her decision to sit at her desk and write instead of meet her new classmates, it was doubtful.


In her thoughts, she hadn’t realized she had already reached Vera’s desk. How would she pull off the look of ‘so uncomfortable, you have to talk’? Looking around, she found the closet loose and unoccupied chair she could. With a single motion, she grabbed the chair, slid it to the front of Vera’s desk, sat down, and began staring at her. At least, it looked like she was staring at her. In reality, she was looking just past Vera at the back wall. Eye to eye contact with strangers, even if they were classmates, was still a bit too much. How did people handle it all day? Even worse, she was sure somebody was now looking in their direction because of her little stunt. Today was not a good day to just blend into the crowd. For all the embarrassment she could feel building up, she hoped one of them broke soon. Or maybe they would just have a very long staring contest. One could never tell when two people who didn’t talk were going to say something, if ever.

Gabby was regretting her decision to do this already. Calling attention to her and the new girl was the worst mistake she had made in a while. She must have been insane to think calling attention, in any form, to the two of them could just be shaken off. Still, neither of them was speaking up. Vera was moving her fingers, kneading her own hair, which surprised her. She had never had long hair, so playing with it was more work than it was worth. It was supposed to be a nervous habit people had though. She knew that much. Maybe this situation was embarrassing for both of them. She didn’t doubt it. Being new and having everybody look at you like you were weird was unnerving. She let out a sigh and brought her eyes down from the wall. Maybe she had to start the conversation for once. It wasn’t like her and it made her stomach churn, but someone always had to be the first.

She wondered what to say. Before she could form a single word, Vera reached into her bag and pulled out a cellphone. Gabby wondered what she was doing, just as she could hear the picture being taken. Her face turned undeniably red. No one had taken a picture of her in years, and now someone she hadn’t shared one word with had done it. It was enough to make her want to disappear where she sat. Even more than that, however, she wanted to laugh. Was this their way of having a conversation? It was like they were communicating through their joined humiliation and quietness. To her, at least, it was funny. She took a quick breath in and burst into laughter. She hadn’t had so much fun in class before.

Slowly, she silenced herself. It was a strange fist conversation, but it was enough for her. She brought out her hand meekly and let it hang in the air. Regardless of if Vera took it or not, she would introduce herself and break their mime-like dialogue, “Hello. My name is Gabby.”  Then she would put her hand away and wait for the next thing to happen in their awkward, but funny, introduction. If people were still looking at them, she couldn’t tell and didn’t care. They should grow up and mind their own business instead of invading other people’s personal affairs.

It was obvious that Vera thought a lot. It was also obvious by the looks on her face that her thoughts were not the most pleasant. If she kept thinking like that, she would look thirty by the time she was twenty-two. Then again, maybe she just thought being optimistic was a waste of time. It sort of was in retrospect. How did optimist keep up the cheery mood all day? Then again, being a pessimist wasn’t good either. The world would always be too gloomy then. On second thought, she’d stop questioning Vera’s motives. They were her own and no one else’s business. Not even hers. Gabby could also tell that Japanese wasn’t Vera’s strong suit. In fact it was still very shaky at best, “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Vera.” She switched over to another language, “I also speak English if you’re better with that. You can learn Japanese at your own pace.” She didn’t know if Vera even understood English, but it was the most common language in the world at the moment, so maybe she did. She noticed as Vera’s face finally changed to something more than worry-wart. It actually scared her a little. Were most people that quick to change their personality? Or maybe she secretly had plans for world domination. That would make Gabby smile like too, “I know we don’t know each other that well, considering we just met, but why did you take my picture?” She repeated the question in English just in case, “Also, could you warn me next time? I can’t imagine I look good when surprised.”

Thank goodness she had learned English growing up. It proved to be handier than her native tongue ever was. Gabby listened while Vera told the story about her condition. After hearing her out completely, she closed her eyes and nodded, “Makes sense to me.” She had hardwired it in her mind to speak English with Vera. She couldn’t exactly place the accent, but she knew it wasn’t from a nation with a melodic language. The way she spoke was too hard. She was probably from somewhere in Europe, but that was the most she could figure. As for pity, she had none. Pity wouldn’t solve Vera’s problem, or get anything done. It just wasn’t practical or productive, “I won’t pity you, but in exchange, I want one thing.”

She knew something that would help. Without another word, she got out of the seat and walked back to her desk. Her bag was nestled against the side, just leaning on the legs of the corner seat. She opened her bag and reached inside of it. She pulled out her own cell phone and opened it up. She tapped through it until she found the camera. She had never used it before, so it took her a while. Once it was up and ready, she walked back to Vera. Partially as payback and for fun, she stood so she was at the same height as Vera sitting and snapped a picture of the two of them together. She saved the photo and showed it to her, “Now I have evidence, too. In case you forget and misplace your phone. Fair trade, right?”

Gabby had to think for a second at that question. She hadn’t really made any friends since she had moved to Japan nearly ten years ago. Could she call Vera a friend or was she just a classmate? There was a fine line distinguishing between the two, but someone could be both. There was always that possibility. She looked at the phone again and smiled, “It seems that way to me. We new girls have to stick together and not get lost in the storm that blows around us. A storm named—I don’t quite know what it’s named. Sometimes it’s just fun to be melodramatic. You know, going against the flow. Not often though.” She put the chair back in its original spot, “Just so you know, I may have to yell at you if you forget me and lose your phone. As for the present, I’m going back to my seat, so the teacher isn’t angry when break is over.” With those as her final words, she walked back to her seat and reclaimed her spot as the quiet girl in the back corner of the room. She put her phone back in her bag. With that she could finally call her mother and say she made a friend. She would be so proud.

((Exit))

Vera silently watched her new-friend- walk back to her desk. Turning back towards the window, the little thief's face was still abit red from the sudden encounter. This would be okay, right?

((Exit))